Achillea 'Sassy Summer Taffy'

Achillea 'Sassy Summer Taffy': Salmon Pink That Refuses to Flop

Salmon-pink that fades to soft peach, so one plant wears several shades at once like a bag of mixed taffy at the fall fair. 'Sassy Summer Taffy' is sweet, stretchy and slightly impossible to resist. ZERO CALORIES. ZERO GUILT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Achillea 'Sassy Summer Taffy' (an interspecific hybrid)
• Common Name: Yarrow
• Height: 65–80 cm (26–32 in)
• Spread: 70 cm (28 in)
• Flowers: Flat clusters of salmon-pink that fade to a soft peachy pink, so one plant carries several shades at once
• Bloom Time: Early to late summer (June to August)
• Foliage: Finely cut, ferny green leaves on an upright clump
• Features: Good cut flower
• Plant Patent: USPP 31,755

Where to Plant: Its height puts it in the middle of a sunny border, and it also suits pollinator gardens, gravel gardens and cutting gardens. It's a good pick for the hot, dry strip along a driveway or a south-facing wall. Just keep it out of wet, heavy clay, where yarrow tends to sulk.

Companion Plants: Soft pink yarrow pairs well with Lavandula 'Hidcote Superior', a 40 cm edging plant with purple flowers from June to September. Sedum 'Touchdown Teak' adds deep red flowers in August and September, after the yarrow peaks. Behind them, Asclepias 'Ice Ballet' lifts white flowers to 120 cm from July to September. All three are happy in full sun.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average to lean, well-drained soil. Skip the rich compost and the fertilizer, because a pampered yarrow grows soft and floppy. Water regularly through the first season, then only during long droughts. Cut spent flower stems back to the foliage to encourage more blooms. Cut the plant back in late fall or early spring. Divide every three years or so in spring to keep the clump vigorous.

History: 'Sassy Summer Taffy' was bred by Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, from a 2014 cross whose family tree includes 'Strawberry Seduction' and a selection of Siberian yarrow (Achillea sibirica). Walters first sold it in 2018.

Final Thoughts: The butterflies are hooked and the deer are not interested. Cut a handful for the kitchen counter. YOUR DENTIST WILL NEVER KNOW.